Rhythm systems have been provided for use with electric organs, for example, so that the sounds of various rhythm instruments are automatically produced as the organist operates the keyboards and pedal board to provide organ tones. It is desired to provide various different rhythm patterns for different types of music, such as a march or waltz, and also more complex patterns such as a tango. It is also desired that the different patterns control various different rhythm instruments such as drums, brush and tambourine.
Prior systems to provide a wide variety of rhythm patterns, and which can be used to control a relatively large number of different instruments, have been complex, resulting in relatively expensive devices. Also, prior devices have not provided special effects which are desired, such as the interruption of a rhythm pattern to insert a rhythm break, such as a drum break. Although there is a substantial interest in such special effects, it has not been practical to provide the same in existing systems.